Quite a ride from West Wales over the Jubilee weekend. Friends gathered at the Walker ranch near Dinas Cross to set off across Dinas mountain and down into the Gwaun valley, where our first puncture occured and took a while to patch up. Eventually we were back on the road, following the road out of the valley. Here we took our first wrong turn, but by the time we realised out mistake we'd dropped a hundred metres or so, and decided to press on and join the road we were to take further down. We picked up NCN82 at Pentree-cwrt and made our way through wild Welsh countryside to Cenarth, home of the coracle. We were now in the valley of Afon Teifi which we then followed upstream. Newcastle Emlyn was our lunch stop and the bike route took us along some stunning back roads, but we started to run out of time so took to the main road to get past Lampeter and the last 12 miles or so to Tregaron.
We stayed at Y Talbot, a classic country town hotel and apart from a slight glitch with the booking everything was great.
End point: Y Talbot
Day 2: Tregaron to Newtown.
OS Landrangers 146 147, 136.
Start point: Y Talbot Tregaron
We woke to the sound of driving rain on the windows and we knew we were in for a wild ride.
We missed out the scenic diversion of NCN82 across the Bog as we thought it might be a bit too boggy, but continued to Pontrhydfendigaid also missing out Strata Florida abbey.
Along the mountain road to Ysbytystwyth . I realised my brake blocks were on their last legs which made the descents less fun that they could have been. We studied a muddy track that had been designated NCN82 and decided to give it a miss, preferring the uphill grind to the Cwmystyth road. This carried on up until we dropped back into the Ysytwyth valley and then along the valley road past slate mines and the pottery. Then we pulled off to the Forestry Rd and this was tough - pushing up arough track in driving rain and wind, dropping down and having to do it all again. Emerging on A44 at to Llangurig, we took a tea stop with a sympathetic landlord and blew off the next scenic diversion in favour of a fast run down the main road. Turning off at Caersws we took the back road into Newtown meeting more friends, where it turned out to be party night. The Elephant & Castle tried but didn't quite make the grade.
End point:
Day 3. Newtown to Wem.
OS Landrangers 136, 126.
Start point: Elephant and Castle, Broad Street, Newtown, Powys, SY16 2BQ
Leaving town on the route of the Shropshire Union canal, we emerged on the B4389 at Aberbechan. L. to Bettws Cedewan. r to Berrie, hence to Powis Castle where we were greeted by an endless queue of traffic. The very obliging owner of Brooks Cycles in Welshpool opened up to sell me some brake blocks so we fitted them over a capuccino, sitting in the sun.
Continue on the NCN81 towards Leighton, we had a stiff climb which left all of us pushing except Deirdrie, turned left onto Long Mountain Rd, with great views into England. Here we lost John Shep who had a train to catch from Shrewsbury back to Cardiff, then we pushed on through towards Wem. Hope, Wollaston (Motte & Bailey). (Border Crossing) Bulthy, Crew Green, Melverley, Pentre came and went and we came upon the Royal Hill pub and campsite , far too good a place to pass by so we stopped for acouple of beers, Wilcott, Wilcott Marsh where we left NCN81 as it was now heading for Shrewsbury. (this NCN route had served us well all the way from Newtown) Great Ness, Little Ness, Baschurch, Burlton, r. A528, l. minor rd to Brandwood, Noneley, Tilley, and to Wem. We had a warm welcome at the Aston Lodge B&B and ate and drank well at the Albion pub over the road.
However, weather forecasts were looking grim and we decided to quit while we were ahead. So two of us got the train from Wem in the morning while the rest of the gang cycled down to Shrewbury and got trains from there - eight of us turning up with bikes for a one-car train might have scared the guard!
End point:
Day 3. Newtown to Wem.
OS Landrangers 136, 126.
Start point: Elephant and Castle, Broad Street, Newtown, Powys, SY16 2BQ
Leaving town on the route of the Shropshire Union canal, we emerged on the B4389 at Aberbechan. L. to Bettws Cedewan. r to Berrie, hence to Powis Castle where we were greeted by an endless queue of traffic. The very obliging owner of Brooks Cycles in Welshpool opened up to sell me some brake blocks so we fitted them over a capuccino, sitting in the sun.
Continue on the NCN81 towards Leighton, we had a stiff climb which left all of us pushing except Deirdrie, turned left onto Long Mountain Rd, with great views into England. Here we lost John Shep who had a train to catch from Shrewsbury back to Cardiff, then we pushed on through towards Wem. Hope, Wollaston (Motte & Bailey). (Border Crossing) Bulthy, Crew Green, Melverley, Pentre came and went and we came upon the Royal Hill pub and campsite , far too good a place to pass by so we stopped for acouple of beers, Wilcott, Wilcott Marsh where we left NCN81 as it was now heading for Shrewsbury. (this NCN route had served us well all the way from Newtown) Great Ness, Little Ness, Baschurch, Burlton, r. A528, l. minor rd to Brandwood, Noneley, Tilley, and to Wem. We had a warm welcome at the Aston Lodge B&B and ate and drank well at the Albion pub over the road.
However, weather forecasts were looking grim and we decided to quit while we were ahead. So two of us got the train from Wem in the morning while the rest of the gang cycled down to Shrewbury and got trains from there - eight of us turning up with bikes for a one-car train might have scared the guard!
